Good pope at the right time

We have a new pope, Fran- cis I, and based on his biography he should be a strong leader, just when the world needs one.

This is concurrent with what could be called Rome II, that is the decline and collapse of the United States as happened with the original Rome I. This is evidenced by the trashing of what got us through 200 years of work, respect and love for fellow man. We are putting pleasure before responsibility and respect for our fellow man.

Nowadays the only thing that gets a real work out are the thumbs on I-phones and I-pads. Note poor spelling and failure of reading and writing skills in school (if they attended). The similar pattern of sexual deviance and debauchery, through destruction of the family, either by sex for fun instead of love, devotion to one woman and a sound, good old-fashioned family, as was the case during Rome I.

We need to wake up and switch our standards to what has historically made the United States as great is it was and still can be. This includes the need for free sex enhancing “stuff” — Viagra, birth control pills/devices and, last but not least, taking a new life through abortion. All shirk the duties of a family of earlier generations. All of the preceding are counter productive toward solid families, which are the building blocks of a good and strong society and country.

Hard work in and after school are the key to developing personal pride and gaining satisfaction that one has done a good job and has earned the self-esteem we all need. Put down the toys and pick up the books. If society supports this direction we can restore this nation to what the founding fathers envisioned and worked for and we should want.

Daniel Victor Bienko, Canfield

Take the guns from the criminals

There has been much talk lately about gun control and taking combat-style weapons off the market. The people who support this mean well but should remove there rose colored glasses and see the real problem.

The gun is not the problem, the problem is the criminal element, the person or persons that use this type of gun to commit acts of violence or terrorism. These are the people who need to be taken off the street.

It is time that law enforcement, the courts and society must become more aggressive in identifying these individuals and bringing them to justice. Taking assault weapons off the market and out of the hands of the public will not solve the problem, because the bad guy will always find this type of weapon somewhere. You will however put a lot of money in the hands of illegal gun runners and black market sellers.

We the people enjoy a great many rights and privileges in this great nation. The 2nd Amendment is one of them and should never be compromised.